


One Day More

by Donthavesexwithsam



Category: Wolf 359 (Radio)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-04-27 11:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5047495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donthavesexwithsam/pseuds/Donthavesexwithsam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How would you spend your last day on Earth? Eat pizza or go out? Watch old movies or replay all the games on your Playstation? Or just business as usual? Here's what the crew of the USS Hephaestus station did the day before they boarded the shuttle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Douglas Eiffel

**Author's Note:**

> While reading this, keep in mind that I'm also making stuff up along the way to fill the gaps. Enjoy, and if you liked it, leave a message, here, or on my tumblr; donthavesexwithsam.tumblr.com  
> I'm a slut for fan art, so if you want a prompt written just send me an ask!

The alarm clock just hit 7:34 when Doug opened his eyes. He could hear ruffling behind him, which was probably the girl he took home last night.

Or someone broke into his house, but that didn’t seem likely.

He thought about turning around, saying hi, but then, the sex hadn’t been _that_ great, and he didn’t feel like going through the whole awkward morning after rite, so he closed his eyes again and pretended he didn’t notice she kissed his forehead, before leaving the house.

He fell asleep again when he heard her close the front door.

Next time he woke up, the alarm clock read 11:41. Still a little early, but a reasonable time.

He rolled out of bed, ordered a pizza and jumped in the shower. He liked putting the pressure up as hard as possible, letting the water run from his head down his face. It helped with the hangover. He stayed under the shower until he heard the bell ring, which must have been at least half an hour.

Doug rushed to the front door in a towel and grabbed a one-hundred dollar note from his wallet, handing it to the delivery guy.

He frowned.

“I’m going away for a long time tomorrow,” Doug shrugged. “I won’t need money there.”

The delivery boy’s frown grew even deeper as he handed him the pizza.

“I’m not going to jail,” Doug clarified. “I’m going to space.”

“Oh,” the boy said. “Have fun.”

“Thanks,” Doug grinned.

He closed the door and put the pizza on the living room table, going back to his bedroom to finish drying off and put on some underwear.

Before returning to the living room, he grabbed four cartons of cigarettes from his suitcase (he wasn’t allowed to take cigarettes with him, but damn everyone if he wasn’t going to try), before crashing on the couch sideways, pulling the sixpack of beer closer to him.

Soft smells of melted cheese wafted from the box, and Doug turned the tv on.

He was going to play games until he would pass out, he thought happily as he lit his first cig.

Three and a half cartons of chain smoking later, his cellphone rang. Doug didn’t react to it, because doing that would mean he would have to get up and move and he wasn’t really in favor of those things, so he decided to ignore it.

Two minutes later, his phone rang again.

Sighing deeply, he paused his game and picked up the phone.

“Douglas speaking.”

“Hi Doug,” it was his sister. “This is Ally.”

“Heya All, what can I do for you?” He unpaused the game, happily slaying another few Draugrs.

“Listen, mom thought I’d be a good idea to surprise you, take you to dinner for your last evening here.” Ally said.

“Oh.” Doug sighed. “Well. Why spoil the surprise?”

“Well, I figured I’d call ahead since I’m willing to bet my right hand that you’re on your couch, playing games, preferably in your underwear.”

Doug opened his mouth to protest, but sighed when he realized that she was very much right.

“Get ready Doug,” Ally said. “You have half an hour. And act surprised.”

_beep beep beep_ , and she was gone.

Doug sighed deeply, a little annoyed. He didn’t want to go out to dinner, he wanted to stay on the couch and do absolutely nothing until it was time to get some sleep and leave for Washington.

He turned off his Playstation and slowly smoked the rest of his cigarette.

“When you get dressed, you can have another one.” He promised himself.

He quickly got dressed, a little fancy, but not too fancy, he didn’t want his mother to notice that he was expecting them.

That’s also why he only cleaned two of the three full ashtrays away. He was just shoving the empty beer bottles under his couch when he heard the doorbell ring.

He extinguished his cigarette and opened the front door.

“Mom! Ally!” he said. “What are you doing here?”

Ally rolled her eyes, annoyed, but his mother hugged and kissed him.

“Hey Douglas, Alice and I wanted to surprise you on your last evening! We’re taking you to Ralph’s, if you want to.”

The ‘if you want to’, was entirely superficial, of course.

Doug nodded. “That sounds great!” he stepped out of the way. “Come in, let me get changed.”

He’d already put on black jeans, but he took his t-shirt off and grabbed the shirt he’d already picked. Buttoning up his shirt, he walked back to the living.

“Did you pick up smoking again, Douglas?” his mother said. “You know that it’s really bad for you, don’t you?”

Ally was grinning beside her. She smoked too, but was better at hiding it.

“I know, mom,” Doug said, lacing up his boots. “But I’m not allowed to smoke in the space station, so I’ll have to quit anyway.”

His mother nodded. “Good thing. Ready?”

Doug nodded, “Ready.”

They went out to Ralph’s, where they ate what they always ate, and talked what they always talked about. Mom cried about five times. Twice because they had become; ‘Such beautiful and strong people’, once because; ‘Your father would have been so proud’, and another two times because Doug was going ‘away for too long’.

After dinner, Ally brought her home and when she dropped Doug off, she got out of the car with him.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m staying." She replied. "You think I’m saying goodbye to you like that? A lame ass steak and a stale beer is not what you deserve, bro.”

She pulled a bottle of Jack out of her purse.

“You kept that in your _purse_ the entire time?” Doug chuckled.

Ally shrugged. “You have no idea what I can smuggle along in my purse.”

“Don’t let the cops hear you.” Doug opened the door, letting his sister inside. She sat down on the couch; “So. Tonight is going to be Jack, pizza and Back to the Future.”

Doug sunk down next to her with two glasses in his hand and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re like, my favorite sister.”

“I’m your only sister.”


	2. Renée Minkowski

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Commander Minkowski's turn! I'm kinda annoyed that I have no idea what her husband's first name is, but I saw David somewhere in a drabble and I actually quite liked it, so I just rolled with it. Maybe one day they'll tell us his real name and I'll go back and change it. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super-duper fluffy. Couldn't resist.

The alarm went of at precisely 8:45.

“Renée,” she felt soft fingertips trail the small of her back.

“Five more minutes…” She whispered, smiling.

David, her husband, huffed softly next to her. “Are you gonna tell that to your crewmembers too, Commander Minkowski?”

Renée giggled and rolled over, right into his arms. Breathing deeply, she took in his warm musk. David smelled of campfire, soap and faintly of sweat. She was going to miss him so much, that it physically hurt thinking about it.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he said. “Give you five more minutes.”

“We could stay in bed all day,” Renée proposed.

“Nu-uh,” He got up slowly, “We have to be at your mom’s in an hour. We’ll have the rest of the day to ourselves though.”

He kissed her. “What would you like to do on your last day on earth?”

Renée smiled again and blinked slowly. “I don’t know. I mean, we have to go see my mother. But after that…”

“We could go out to the Bistro. Have a nice, long dinner, take a walk along the river and then just go home, watch a movie and go to bed. You and me.”

Renée yawned and nodded. “You and me.” she repeated.

She drifted off to the sounds of her husband getting in the shower. Running water always calmed her down, and she dozed off again.

“Come on, Renée,”

The fact that he snuggled his face in the crook of her shoulder wasn’t really working for him.

“How about this,” He proposed. “I go downstairs, and in fifteen minutes there’ll be eggs.”

He kissed her, toying with her hair, softly tugging at her arm.

“Yes.” Renée smiled. “Fifteen minutes.”

When her husband left the room, she slowly got up. She wondered if getting up in zero gravity would be less hard than getting up here. She took a quick shower and pulled on some easy clothes. Pair of jeans, boots and a t-shirt.

When she got downstairs, there was a big plate full of scrambled eggs and toast waiting for her already.

“Amazing,” Renée sighed deeply.

They had a slow breakfast together, and ended up rushing to get to her mother’s in time.

“Renée!” Her mother always hugged too tight. “And hello to you too,” she smiled to David.

There was always some distance between Renée’s mother and David, because she blamed him on Renée's exploratory nature.

Which was bullshit, because Renée had been applying to the NASA program long before she met David, and yes, he had introduced her to Goddard Futuristics, but going into space had been her biggest wish since, well, since she decided that becoming a princess was a little out of her league.

She must have been around eight, maybe nine, when she switched her tiara for a NASA t-shirt and her poster of ‘Royalties around the World’ for a giant banner of the solar system.

“I’m just so scared you might not come back,” Her mother said softly.

“Mom, we’ve been through this.” Renée sighed, putting her cup of coffee back down. “Can we… not on my last day.”

Mother nodded, and they chit-chatted for a bit. The conversation moved from deep space travel to yesterday’s episode of America’s Next Top Model.

“We didn’t watch it, actually,” David smiled. He softly touched Renée’s knee. Little contacts like that was why Renée loved him so much. “I took Renée to Les Misérables.”

“Because, you know, I hadn’t seen it yet.” She grinned. It had actually been the fourth time they went to this specific musical, and it had only been Les Misérables because David refused to go to Pirates of Penzance for the fourteenth time.

When they left, mother hugged Renée tightly. “I know I can be a little grumpy now and then, but I’m just worried.”

Then she hugged David. “Don’t be a stranger, son,”

They waved goodbye and climbed in the car.

“That was a breakthrough.” David frowned. “I mean, I’m happy, but if she’d done that half a year earlier, would’ve been nice.”

Renée smiled. “I think she’s just scared.”

It was a silent drive to the Bistro, until David missed the exit.

“Honey...” Renée started, but he cut her off.

“I’m going to have to miss you for over a year, I’m not taking you to the Bistro.”

Renée smiled. She’d already wondered why he was wearing a nice shirt and his good trousers. “But I’m in a t-shirt! And jeans!”

“Check the black backpack in the back seat.”

There was her favorite red dress, a bag with make-up, a brush, and her sitting-down-killer-queen heels. She kissed his cheek. “You’re perfect.”

He smiled. “You just change. Don’t worry.”

She quickly changed, did her hair and make-up, and was just lacing up her heels when they pulled up in front of the restaurant. David tied his tie and grabbed his jacket from the back.

They got out and David gave the car keys to a young boy and offered his arm to his wife.

“You’re my queen tonight.” he smiled.

They had dinner by candlelight, and afterwards they took a long walk. They were mostly silent, cherishing each other. It was cheesily romantic, but all they needed.

“I love you,” Renée whispered.

David folded his hands through her hair, softly stroking the back of her head. “I love you so much.”

Their lips touched softly under the yellow streetlight, and everything was perfect for now.

 


	3. Alexander Hilbert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW; mentions of self harm. Also- I promised angst so angsty shit ahead but well isn't that what the Wolf 359 fandom is about

 

This was day three of no sleep for Doctor Elias Selberg. He shook his head. Hil-bert. He'd grown so unfamiliar with even his given name, that he would quicker refer to himself by his old alias. Not weird, since he had referred to himself as Selberg for over three years. But Selberg was dead. Selberg died on the USS Hephaestus. Hilbert rose from the ashes.

He could sleep on the shuttle ride. He didn’t really know how he felt about going back. What had Goddard changed about the Hephaestus? Did they clean out his lab properly? He left in a hurry when Lovelace had fallen into the sun, on the secret shuttle that was hidden, deep in the bowels of the vessel.

And now he was going back. New shuttle. New co-workers. New technology. Cutter had secured him that Rhea, the station’s mother program, had been properly wiped clean and updated. Same tech, different person. He’d finished his preparations a long time ago, said his goodbyes to the two people he currently worked with. It wasn’t that he was an unsocial person, he just didn’t have time for a personal life. The moment he rolled off that shuttle, Cutter had ordered him to start over with the Decima trials. The 'philanthropist', as he called himself, would find him a better lab rat, one that would hold out longer. One that was more expendable.

There wasn’t much to pack. Goddard had set a fifty kilo limit for personal effects. Clothing, books, pictures. He didn’t need those things. They also provided jumpsuits and labcoats. The books were reference works, so they were packed under research business. All he really packed was his worn out copy of the Martian, some extra clothing and a few pictures.

He wasn’t sentimental like that. He didn’t keep those pictures out of sentiment. He kept them as a reminder. You’re doing it for her. Don’t hesitate. Don’t look back. Do whatever needs to be done. If someone had been as strong as you are now, she would still have been here.

The picture was old. Crumpled up, faded. The small girl with chubby cheeks smiled, beaming, at the camera. Long black hair in a ponytail. Was it really black? Had it been dark brown? He couldn’t remember. He couldn’t remember the sound of her voice and the pitch of her laugh. He couldn’t remember her favorite story and her least favorite food.

He remembered that little split between her front teeth. He remembered how she would draw him when he was reading. He remembered that they would walk to school together, holding hands, and that she would hum ‘Where the river lies’, the song their mother would sing to them before bedtime.

This time he was going to get it right. For her. He had better equipment, stronger test subjects, more experience.

“Somewhere in the dark,” He mumbled, putting the picture back in his bag. “Silver foxes dance around. Somewhere where the moon never touches the ground.”

The bag zipped close.

“We’ll dance together under the tree, there where the river lies.”

He had to let go of that song. That song belonged to Dmitri Ilyich Volodin. It hadn’t played a part in the life of Alexander Valentin Hilbert.

He looked up at the mirror. He’d shaved his hair yesterday. He would always do that himself. Buzzcut, and when it got long enough to be annoying, he’d shave it off again. Most practical haircut for space. Unlike Lovelace, who always wore her hair in a very, very large ponytail, and yet she still managed to leave trails of loose hairs throughout the station.

Lovelace.

Was she scared, those last moments? She wasn’t stupid, she must have noticed when her vessel fell into decaying orbit. What did she think in those last moments? What went through her head? Did she blame him? Selberg?

He shook his head. Lovelace is dead. So is Selberg. His fingers chased the scars on his chest. Tally marks. One for every person whose death he was responsible for. Fourteen. Fourteen tally marks.

Would fourteen become sixteen once this mission was over? Would Alexander Hilbert also be ready to kill? Would Alexander Hilbert even have a choice, or would he, like Elias Selberg, have to kill to make sure he could finish what he started?

‘You always have a choice,’ Olga would say. She’d take all her life experience out of her books. In the books they always have a choice. Well, in this story you became a tragic background character, Olga. Nothing more than a bitter death to establish his wistful past.

Instead of the heroine of her own story, she had become the reason why he was the villain of his.

Villains don't exist. There's only people who are strong enough to make the harder choice, and people who break down and take the easy way out. Who let themselves be opposed by ‘morals’. Volodin and Selberg didn't take the easy way out.

He looked at himself in the mirror again. An old man stared back, a bitter frown etched into his face, cold blue eyes and thin white lips.

“And neither will Hilbert.”


End file.
